Nintendo is thinking about making game controllers for smartphones and tablets

Nintendo executive Shinya Takahashi stated recently that it's possible the Japan-based game developer could create controllers for smartphones and tablets in the future.

Polygon reports that Takahashi, Nintendo's general manager of entertainment planning and development, brought up the notion at the company's annual general shareholders.

"Physical controllers for smart device applications are available in the market and it is possible that we may also develop something new by ourselves," Takahashi said. "I believe Nintendo's way of thinking is to look at whether action games are really not impossible (without a physical controller for smart device applications) to create and how we can make it happen to create such a game."

Nintendo has already released its first smartphone app, the chat software Miitomo. The company has plans to release at least four more apps before the end of March 2017, with one based on Nintendo's Animal Crossing franchise, and another to be based on its Fire Emblem game series.